New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-20
THE LONDON THEATRE HORROR.
MORE PARTICULARS OF THE CATASTROPHE.
A MAD STRUGGLE FOR LIFE-INFANTs sMOTHHRED
In THEIR MOTHERS, ARMS.

MAD STRUGGLE FOR L1FE-lNfANTS SMOIHEhED
IN THEIR MOTHERS ARMS.
LONDON. Jan. 19.-The hall in Prince's-st., Sptal-
fields, where fatal panic occurred last night, is
favore resort for the Hebrews OF that part OF London
Enterta been given there every night tor
long time. Last ecening benefit performance was
given and the place crowded In the course o! the
play map and quarrelled in the street outside
and near the main doorway Of the hall. The man
used ,ioence and the woman screamed. Her cry was
heard BY o passer-by, who misunderstood it and
shouted fre!" The womans screams and the cries OF
fire were heard inside and at created panic
the audience. numbering 800 rising in body and
rushing pell-meli tor the main entrance The whole
crowd as if with one impulse, made ior the man
entrance. 1t happened that among those who hrst
reached il number OF women and children who
had been occupying of the seats They were
overborne by strong attempting TO pass tEem and
~ the women and children tell at the doorway as
stumbling blocks they trpped up others who wee
crushed down by the rush OF the frantic crowd. IL
took but a few minutes to empty the house and The
alarm 80 thorough that not soul among the en-
tire audience efrained from the struggle e get out
When the people. after reaching tho street, "ecer-
tanned the facts of the suaton .cene OF great dis
order of another kind ensued caused by the discovery
that numbers were lssine. hen rush back wac
made. This, however. was stoDped at the main en-
trance by the police who had arrived and assumed
CONTROL Seventeen corpses were found inside the
theatre the door. They were all torn, crushed
and dsfgured 1t found that Of the dead twelve
women, three were boys. one was girl ond the
other man. Eyewitne say that the way the strong
men who got urpermost IN the struggle at the door
crushed and trampled on those who tell down in the
conflict indescrlbably ruthless and brutal.
although, OF course. not Wiltul. 1t being supreme
OF " every one FOR himself
1t is stated that infants carried in their mothers
arms and ciung tC through all the panic werc also
crushed or snothcred TO death and that other" were
fatally injured.
statement is made that thieves started the cry of
fire for the purpose of getting opportunity TO despol
the many rich in the ban of the costly jewels
they bore their persons TO the entertainment.
The hall to-day resembles disordered auction
Broken furniture crushed toys, cbildrens hats.
broken bottles orange peel actors wigs and shreds o
clothes lie scattered the floor. There are many
blood spots tie backs OF chairs as we'll as Oh the
foor Here and there gbastly knots OF HAIR cling
ing to the furniture. Several escapes were made
through the windows, most OF which. are badly
smashed The bodies found at the bottom OF the
stone stairs leading to the gallery. Here terrible
struggle tooK place between the front of the crowd
rushing from the man floor and the leaders OF the
throng which rushed down the gallery stars lhe
dead Law mostly opposing rows the feet OF each
row close those OF the other row OF heads lying
toward the gallery stairway. the other toward the
opposite side of the hall.
he face, of the dead we're distorted with agonzed
expressions. The clio hes completely torn iron
the bodies OF the victims. little GIRL since ioentiied
as Eva Marks, vas found lying at the bottom of pile
of Cead. Her lower limbs were bare and the upper
part her dress torn to shreds showing that she
had fought hard Tor lie; Isaac Levy, venerable
fonnd among the dead. lie and his wife were regular
attendants at the performances which had been given
III the hail. 1hey always sat near the door. IL IL
thought from the position in which his body was ionnd
that Mr. Levy instead of hceins alone when the panic
started renamed TO help and protect his wife so the
old man was brushed down by the rushing crowd and
stamped to DEATH His wfe's body lay opposite The
woman was in The prime OF lite aud wore brightly
coored clothes and quantities OF 1ewelry. Be-ide ner
Law a little toy whCso kDickerbockers and stockings
were torn to rhreCr.
man named Harris Goldberg says he went to the
gallery OF the hail accompanied by his wife and
family They all sat together. The play was melo-
drama called The Spanish Gypsy GIRL" Some ooys
in order TO obtain better view OF the stage climbed
I'D an exposed gas pipe rxcd along the wall. THIS
raned the pipe and started q leak. MT Goldberg
placed his handkerchief over the leak and some one
shonte1 " Turn off the I.eter." j his shout was
raised simultaneously with cry OF al,rm IRON one oil
,he actors on the stage Then the people in the gallery
rose and rushed headong down the stars. Mr. Gold
ber.'s wife torn away from him and trarnpied 10
death Hi, six -year-Old jumped upon the hrSds
of e packed mass and escaped bv running oy' theni
The managers are 10 blame Tor the oisaster lhc
re from the hall the street entrance IA ten feet
wide. where the straggle occurred, and the doors
SWING both waya There several MINOR etts
from the gallery-thrre berides the staircase The
disaster arose not from tn crOwdng Of the passage,
but from the frantic efforts OF the people III the gaer'
TO force their way down the crowded stairs. The men
and women in front driven headong into the
passage. where they met the excited occupants OF the
pit. and there hopeless block.